Superman comic books draw ire of gay advocates

It's hard to imagine that gay marriage and Superman could be wrapped into a controversy, but that's happening across the nation as DC Comics launches a new line of comic books featuring Clark Kent's alter ego.

One of the authors signed on for the upcoming "Adventures of Superman" series is Orson Scott Card, who wrote the popular Ender series. He certainly has science fiction cred, but his views opposing gay marriage have caused some bookstores to boycott his newest works and have triggered a petition drive.

The Baltimore Sun's Jill Rosen notes that Gorilla King Comics in Fells Point has joined the movement, vowing not to sell the two issues expected to be written by Card, who has served on the board of the National Organization for Marriage.

"I have a lot of gay customers," owner Ian Sayre told the Sun. "I don't want someone to come in here, see that and think that's me or that anyone in the store supports his policies."

DC Comics defends Card's right to his political opinions, and others in the industry also are giving him a wide berth. Steve Geppi, president of the Baltimore-based Diamond Book Distributors, told the Sun, "Some of the greatest literature was probably written by people with skeletons in their closet."

Maryland voters, you may recall, approved a same-sex marriage law in a referendum last year. It took effect Jan. 1.